Grace Marie (Raby) Maxwell

Grace Marie Raby Maxwell, 92, of Carolina Beach, NC, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 28 at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare in Wilmington, NC. She was born on October 22, 1927 in Franklin, North Carolina to the late Charles Dana and Ella Reeves Raby. She joins her late husband of 68 years, Robert Lee Maxwell, in heaven.
 
Grace was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother who lived up to her moniker: a divinely given blessing. She chose to love when others didn’t – always looking for the best in everyone. She had the biggest family – not just kin! – because she brought people who needed love into her circle. Inspired by her steadfast faith, she offered unconditional love to those around her. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, in her own graceful way. She was strong-willed and if something really bothered her, she made it known – whether it was sending a thoughtful letter to Lady Byrd after attending a luncheon with her that was interrupted by Vietnam War protestors or writing to Hillary Clinton to inform her that her new hairdo was unbecoming. She loved this country and felt a moral obligation to always uphold her civic duties – a diehard Republican (besides one “slip-up” with Jimmy Carter because “he was a Christian man”) – which also explains her affinity to elephants.
 
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Steven Maxwell, brothers Austin, Joe, Garman, Sam, Cecil and sisters Fannie Burrell, Kate Tallent, Oma Rick, Lola Mae Rowland, Ann Jackson, Ellen Ray, Mary Rowland and Thelma Welch. She is survived by two daughters Rosalee Lyons (Bill) and Judy Greer (Larry) and a son Frank Maxwell (Renee); goddaughter Karla Denney (Rick); one sister Kathy James; six grandchildren: Todd Vallejos, Ryan Vallejos (Heidi), Jamie Wren, Shannon Maxwell, Katie Jones (Nick), Hunter Maxwell; six great grandchildren: Gracie Vallejos, Isabel Vallejos, Austin Vallejos, Victoria Vallejos, Grayson Jones, Quinn Floyd; and many special nieces, nephews and friends. 
 
The family is hosting a celebration of Grace’s life on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 3:00pm at the Quinn McGowen Funeral Home in Wilmington, NC (315 Willow Woods Drive, Wilmington, NC). Following the memorial service, the family will receive friends at the home of Rosalee and Bill Lyons (266 Silver Sloop Way, Carolina Beach, NC). In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests memorial donations be made to God’s Pit Crew in Danville, Virginia or Wounded Warriors.
 

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